I've never used double pointed needles before, but keep finding patterns I'd love to do, if only I knew how to use them. I've found basic instructions on line, but need some suggestions on a good first project for dpns. Probably something small (so it's not so hearbreaking when I have to keep frogging it) but interesting.

What were your first projects on dpns? Were they good for a dpn novice? Any suggestions or advice would be greatly appreciated!

I'm not exactly a pro, but I learned by starting a hat of some kind on circulars and switching to dpns later. This got me used to the handling of them without having to worry initially about the stitches getting twisted or sliding off the end of your %$#@ing needle. That was a joy I saved for later.DPNs really aren't that hard, though. I'm actually obsessed with knitting everything in the round now.

you can't go wrong with basic legwarmers. start with 1x1 rib for a few inches, increase a bunch, knit in stockinette for however long, decrease a bunch, do another 1x1 rib portion, et voila. or you could just knit a super-long tube in stockinette without the ribbing, increases, and decreases!

I love DPNS - I know some people find them cumbersome, but I learned knitting in the round on them, so they work for me. They're very adaptable - I usually use them instead when a pattern calls for circulars. I have a lot of DPNs thanks to yard sales, thrift stores, etc., and circulars are much harder to find in places like that, so I like to work with what I've got rather than buying new needles for every project.

I would also recommend a hat. If you want to start small, you could try a child's hat. I wouldn't go too small to start, though, because if you're casting on a very small number of stitches for your first project on them, you might find them tricky. They do take a bit of getting used to. (Just be sure to pull your first couple of stitches on each needle much tighter than you normally would!)

i made marnie mclean's nautilus hat (google it).it does start at the top, which was a hassle (few stitches - they slide around on the needle), but the upside was that you made an eyelet at every 'corner' of the dpns, eliminating any stretched-stitched ladder at the corner that beginners often end up with.

These are all really great ideas! We're still getting plenty of snow here in Minnesota, so I could use some legwarmers and hats! Does anyone know where I could find a basic pattern for a bottom-up hat to knit in the round? I know it probably should be something I could figure out without a pattern, but it would be nice to have some guidance for my first in-the-round project.

I'm actually working on Tubey from Knitty right now and it is my first project using dpns. I did a mini-tube on some dpns to practice before using them on my project, because I like to avoid frogging at all costs.

I would definitely reccommend knitting somethign that is a simple tube to begin with...not a whole lot of shaping or things to keep track of until you get comfortable with them.

I skipped the whole circular needle thing on fuzzy feet and did the entire things on DPNs. Was my first dpn's project.. and my first sock shaping project. A great project for learning both skills since you felt the finished item, so any wonkyness you get is felted away into perfection...